Right after I made this previous post it hit me, Science doesn’t need an Oprah. We (the Scientific Community) already have an image as elitist and even bourgeois, trapped in our Ivory Tower and all. What we need is to appeal to the masses. Strip away the air of know-it-alls, nerds, geeks and loners. Let us show the world the side of Science that only those engaged in the day to day get to see. Let’s “Jerry Springer” Science. The recent Nature News shows just one example (cheating and lying to get ahead), doubtless we all know about the heated exchanges that can occur at scientific meetings, the affairs between members of labs and P.I.’s the stealing of ideas the graft (i.e. name lending for publication). Let’s show the world that science has a seamy (if not steamy) side. We could have the first guest be Dr. Luk Van Parijs and he could be confronted by the Postdocs and graduate students that his little shenanigans have now harmed. So, I would like nominations for the host as well as potential “guests”.
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Who will be Sciences Jerry Springer?
- Date:
- Wednesday, 04 Feb ruary 2009 - 20:50 UTC
Last updated: Wednesday, 04 Feb 2009 - 20:50 UTC
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Comments
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Nah. Don’t air dirty linen in public.
Thought of one sensational guest, but it could be over the top :S
Valery Fabrikant, a former mechanical engineering prof, who was about to be sacked when he picked up a gun and shot 5 fellow faculty members at Concordia University, in Montreal.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concordia_University_massacre)
Linda – Unfortunately, we could probably fill several episodes with instances of murder or attempted murder in Academia – much as strange as fiction.
Oprah an elitist? Only using Jerry Springer standards…
And since we’re at it, how about finding the Dr. Phil of Science? It would have to be something similar to the real one, but, you know, it would actually have to BELONG to the scientific community.
Christian – The Dr. Phil of Science can just book the guests of the Jerry Springer of Science and tape the same day (saves travel expenses).